This qualitative study examines how linguistic ideology reproduces academic inequalities within the Algerian university, focusing on the symbolic roles of Arabic and French. Drawing on Bourdieusian and Foucaultian frameworks, it analyzes data from 25 semi-structured interviews with professors and graduate students. Findings reveal that linguistic capital, unevenly distributed along urban and social lines, acts as a hidden filter converting pre-existing disparities into academic hierarchies. The study argues for linguistic justice as a foundation for equitable higher education.